Steeple

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT STEEPLE

June Casagrande Hoping to create harmony out of the city's most contentious project this year, Councilman Steve Bromberg said he plans to make a motion at tonight's City Council meeting to reduce the height of a proposed Mormon temple steeple to 90 feet, a height the church has agreed to. "We've really needed a healing process," Bromberg said. "Now things have taken such a good tone. I think people are going to walk out of this meeting shaking hands."

I don't get it. In the article "Temple decision left bad blood," (Oct. 30), Newport Beach Councilman Steve Bromberg is quoted as saying that some consider the Planning Commission approval of the Mormon temple to have been a "tainted" process. Referring to the late discovery that the steeple on the chapel adjacent to the proposed temple site was shorter than previously reported, he further stated, "We can't know for sure whether city planners' recommendation would have been different if they knew that the steeple was only 68 feet ...."

June Casagrande Hoping to convince Mormon church officials to reduce their steeple height a little further, Councilman Steve Bromberg has warned church leaders that some neighbors of their proposed temple have bitter feelings about what they consider a "tainted" process. The councilman met with local church leaders and delegates from Salt Lake City on Monday evening in hopes of persuading church leaders to make further concessions on their project.

June Casagrande A Mormon temple that won Planning Commission approval after much controversy and compromise will be reconsidered by the City Council after all, now that a group of residents has filed an appeal. Kenneth A. Wong, a resident of the Seawind community, filed an appeal Wednesday based on violations of state, federal and municipal law, which means the matter will be brought up before the City Council. Wong said he is part of a group of homeowners from five different communities, including Bonita Canyon, all three phases of Harbor View Homes and Harbor View Knoll.

It appears the long, at times bruising, debate about the proposed Mormon temple in Newport Beach is nearing its end. Given the needs of the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the demands of residents living near the proposed temple, the Planning Commission did a laudable job with what has been a very emotional issue. The vehemence of the discussion is not surprising given that on one side are religious beliefs and the other a desire to maintain a neighborhood and property values.

June Casagrande The president of the homeowners association that was most active in opposing a Mormon temple said his group has not yet decided whether they will ask the City Council to revisit the Planning Commission's approval of the project. But in the weeks to come, it's possible that any of the hundreds of residents who wrote or phoned city officials to oppose the temple could appeal. And City Councilman Steve Bromberg, whose district includes the temple site at 2300 Bonita Canyon Drive, says that if residents ask him to bring up the matter before the council, he will.

June Casagrande A Mormon temple with a 99-foot 9-inch steeple and slightly reduced hours of lighting won Planning Commission approval Thursday night, closing a chapter of the most controversial project this year. But widespread resident opposition to the modified project could land the matter in front of the City Council for a final decision. Residents for and against the temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints packed City Council chambers Thursday and spilled out onto the City Hall lawn as planning commissioners heard passionate speeches.

It is unfortunate that lessons of old have not been learned today ("Height of Mormon steeple contradicted," Wednesday). Is there a compromise that can be reached over the height of the proposed Mormon temple? Rather than residents, city staff and church officials warring over this question, wouldn't it best be answered by God, through Jesus Christ, from whence the name "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" comes from? About 7,000 years ago, man labored in vain to build a tower that would reach to the heavens so that one king could rest his throne closer to God, to be as God, and to better oversee and rule over his subjects.

June Casagrande The Planning Commission is scheduled to take a final vote on a proposed Mormon temple and steeple, but chances are that tonight's vote won't be the end of the discussion. Planning commissioners could opt to postpone their decision to request more information or simply to take more time to make up their minds. If they do give an official yea or nay tonight, there's a good chance that, either way, the question could be appealed to the City Council.

June Casagrande City planners are reconsidering their 100-foot recommendation for a Mormon temple steeple in light of new information that shows the existing stake center's steeple is shorter than city documents state. The 100-foot limit recommended by city officials late last month was a compromise between the 124-foot steeple church planners requested and the allegedly 86-foot steeple on the church's existing stake center. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints representatives have said that the temple's steeple must be more prominent than that of the stake center to reflect the building's greater religious significance.